Alternate Reality
by Dixie Dewdrop
Summary: What actually is Jethro dreaming while in a coma? Are Tony and Abby part of the dream, or part of the Agent's reality? This is a story in my Here and Now series.
1. Three Times You're Out

Three Times- You're Out

The explosion happened so quickly that no one had a chance to react by running for cover. One minute the house stood as a member of the neighborhood, and the next it disintegrated in a cacophony of flying glass and brick and wood.

Gibbs had been standing at the front door hand poised to rap on it once again.

Tony and McGee had just exited the NCIS vehicle and found themselves sprawled across the front yard after the blowup.

Tony jumped up and took a quick visual inventory of McGee, who seemed dazed, but physically unhurt. Then he vaulted to the remains of the front stoop, screaming "Boss, Boss!"

Gibbs was pinned under a section of debris from the roof and Tony frantically dug him out as he screamed orders to Tim to call 911 and to notify NCIS. Gibbs was unconscious, and Tony checked his breathing and pulse before running his hands over his mentor's body, feeling for obvious injuries. Deciding it was safe to move him, he called Tim over and they carried Jethro to the relative safety of the sidewalk bordering the street.

The ambulance arrived at the same time Ducky did, and he jumped out and made his way to Gibbs. After a quick consultation, he joined his friend for the ambulance journey, and they set off for the hospital.

The firefighters checked both Tim and Tony. Both agents were scratched and bruised from flying debris, and Tony had a couple of deep cuts across his hands where he had dug his boss out from under the sections of housing. He refused to go to the hospital, insisting that he had an investigation to run, so the paramedics bandaged him and made him promise to go in for stitches.

As Jethro and Ducky made their way to the hospital Tony took charge of the investigation, and didn't leave until the crime scene had been processed. He headed straight for NCIS then, to file reports and update the director, then raced to the hospital to check on Gibbs. The terror that Gibbs wouldn't make it haunted him.

Abby's sobbing was the first sound he heard as he approached the waiting room, then the muffled voices of Timmy and Ziva. Abby threw herself into Tony's arms when he appeared, and he kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair gently with his bandaged hands. They stood like that a few minutes, until her tears finally stopped and Ducky came in from the hallway. He removed his glasses and wiped them thoughtfully on his shirt sleeve, then cleared his throat.

"Jethro is as well as can be expected. There are some burns, but none life threatening, and cuts across his arms and legs. He has three broken ribs and his left arm is fractured. He also has a concussion, and some bleeding in his brain."

Abby started crying again, and leaned into Tony, who was directly behind her. He pulled her to him so that her body was touching his and then wrapped his arms around her from behind, trying to comfort her.

McGee was the first to speak, "So, what does that mean about his recovery?"

Ducky let his gaze go from one to another, then settled for good on Tony, who met his look steadily.

"Well, it is serious and to be honest, he needs our prayers. He's in a coma. It looks like his body is trying to protect itself by putting him into a sleep mode. The problem may be, though, that this is his third coma. It may be impossible to come out of this one this time."

They reacted slowly, each trying to make sense of what Ducky was saying to them. Ducky smiled sympathetically, then added, "I know you all want to see him. You are going to be able to go in two at a time. Don't stay long, though."

Tony spoke up, "Ziva, you and Tim go first."

Ducky ordered softly, "Hold on just a minute." Approaching Tony, he motioned for him to hold out his hands. No one spoke as the doctor unwrapped the bandages and took a look.

"I am going to send a physician, Anthony." Turning to Ziva and McGee he said, "All right, troops."

They nodded and left with Ducky, who escorted them to Jethro's room.

One of the emergency doctors appeared within minutes, trailed by a nurse with supplies. Not much was said until the doctor had stitched three different cuts in Tony's hands, and bandaged the rest.

The doctor gave him the treatment and follow up instructions, and Tony and Abby both thanked him. They watched until the doctor and nurse were out of the waiting room.

Tony turned to Abby. "Ok, both of us know what Gibbs would expect for us to do. We have to pull ourselves together, right Baby Girl?"

Abby nodded and as they sat down she questioned, "What actually happened out there, Tony?"

Tony shook his head. "You know that you got that DNA evidence on Marksdon, so we knew he was the man who had killed Petty Officer James. We headed to his house to arrest him, and Boss made it to the door first. When he knocked, it set off a booby trap Marksdon had rigged. He had wired the house to explode, before he shot himself to death. His body was thrown out in the yard with the explosion."

"How do you know he killed himself, and the bomb didn't?"

"I stayed to head up the investigation afterwards. The bullet wound was pretty obvious."

"Case closed, huh?" Abby attempted a smile.

Tony nodded, "That part is done. What we need now is a good report on Boss."

Within a couple of minutes Tim and Ziva returned, and Ziva announced softly, "Ducky said for you two to come on and visit."

Abby got up and Tony motioned her to go ahead, then he turned to his teammates. "Head back to NCIS and get the rest of those reports finished. Make sure that all of that evidence has made it back there. I'll be back at the Navy Yard as soon as I can."

They nodded and McGee answered, "Right, Boss."

That title would usually have produced a thrilled response from Tony, but the mood was too somber. Tim and Ziva headed down the corridor, and Tony stood in the empty waiting room a couple of minutes and prayed.

When he joined Ducky and Abby they were both bedside. Tony steeled himself not to react to the bandages, the machinery, and the IV lines invading his Boss's current life. Abby was weeping, and held one of Jethro's hands in her own. When Ducky saw him he motioned him back to the far side of the room.

"Anthony, this is going to be a waiting game now. It's up to Jethro to pull out of this."

Tony clenched his jaw, trying to make sure that he had control of his emotions.

Ducky continued, "I am going to return to NCIS so that I can start on that Monster Marksdon's autopsy. I can't wait to weigh his internal organs. I took the liberty of calling Jethro's father, and Jack should be here fairly soon."

He squeezed Tony's shoulder and left.

Tony looked around the room and found two chairs, which he dragged to the bed, one on either side of Jethro, and placed them so that they were facing the patient, Tony and Abby's surrogate parent. He pointed for Abby to sit in one, and she did, and he sat down carefully. He reached up and grasped his Boss's hand, and Abby took hold of the other.

They were silent for a minute, then she spoke, "Remember how this morning everything was normal and we didn't imagine any of this for later in the day?"

He nodded in agreement. "It was just another day at the House of Gibbs."

Abby smiled at that. He had nicknamed Jethro's house House of Gibbs after she and Tony began living there. Both of them still kept their apartments, but spent no more than a night a week in them. The rest of the time the three operated as a family at the home of Jethro Gibbs, and the relationship was incredibly strong. Gibbs was their surrogate father, provider of protection, love, care, and punishment. They had fallen into sibling roles, and were fiercely loyal to him, and to each other.

Tony brought up a mental picture of just a few hours prior. He and Gibbs had already been in the kitchen eating breakfast when Abby bounced into the room, singing softly to herself. They both smiled and watched as she sat down and began to eat. Swallowing a sip of juice she leaned over and reminded, "Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs, remember that I get to go off tonight. It has been a week now, and you said that I couldn't go anywhere except here or NCIS for a week, and…"

Tony had interrupted, delighted to make a clarification, "Technically, he put you on restriction when it was almost bedtime, so the week isn't over until tonight."

Abby had immediately scowled, "Stay out of it! You are just trying to be mean, and nobody asked you anyway."

Tony smirked in reply.

Gibbs put down the paper he was reading and looked at her over his glasses. "He's right, though, Abby. I said a week, and the week doesn't finish until tonight. So no, you can't go anywhere tonight. Tomorrow, you may."

Abby turned to Tony and stuck out her tongue. He laughed and blew her a kiss across the table. Gibbs watched the exchange with resignation. The two fought like cats and dogs, mainly for his attention or to get each other in trouble. However, once out of the house they were fiercely loyal and loving to each other.

A nurse came in to make a check and the two waited until she had gone before they resumed speaking.

Tony smiled, "Do you remember the question Boss had as we were leaving the house this morning?"

Abby shook her head no.

"He asked why he felt like the father of toddlers."

They both laughed then, looking at each other and at the man they both admired, who sank deeper into his coma induced dream state.


	2. Suspects

Suspects

_Special Agent Jethro Gibbs knew something was not right_ _the_ _second he walked into the front_ _door._ Abby didn't run to greet him, and Tony was nowhere to be found. Before he could take a step the nanny appeared, her coat on and buttoned, and her pocketbook swinging impatiently from her arm.

She frowned and announced firmly, "I am sorry, Agent Gibbs, but this is my last day. I simply do not want to work for you anymore. Your children are rambunctious, and they are constantly into mischief. They are giving me a nervous breakdown."

Gibbs was not surprised- this was the third nanny the children had run off, but his mind was whirling as he tried to think of how he could get to work Monday without adequate childcare.

The nanny held her hand out expectantly and Gibbs got the hint. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out his wallet and counted out a week's wages. Her expression softened.

"I feel bad about leaving you this way, but really, I can't let two three year olds be the death of me." With that, she walked out of the house, got in her car, and drove away.

Gibbs gazed down the empty street for a minute, then realized the house was too silent. Where were his children?

Slamming and locking the door with the latest lock he had installed at the top, too high for Tony to reach after putting his booster seat into a chair and stretching, Jethro hurried into the living room, a bit panicked.

They were sitting angelically on the sofa, wide eyed, obviously having been told they had better not get up out of their seats. Abby was sucking the middle finger and ring finger on her right hand, while Tony was sucking the forefinger and middle finger on his left hand. Jethro sighed. No, his kids didn't suck their thumbs, they sucked their fingers instead. They never followed the crowd!

As soon as they saw him they both reached out for him to take them, and his heart swelled. They were his children, his babies, and they were irreplaceable. They both were on the small side, and thin, with gorgeous green eyes and long eyelashes. Abby's hair was dark, but Tony's hair was brown with blond flecks. They were both gregarious and talkative, extremely intelligent and with great personalities. They were his heart. They were also a handful; hence, the resignation of yet another caregiver.

He leaned down and kissed first one, then the other, on the forehead, then sat down in the large rocking chair and motioned for them. They scrambled off the sofa and climbed onto his lap without a word, one on one leg, and one on the other, then promptly popped their fingers back in their mouths. Jethro knew that signal- they had done something naughty.

He had an arm around each and shifted them both so that they were facing him partially.

"I missed you two today, and it was nice to see you both sitting so nicely together on the sofa when I got home from NCIS."

Tony reached out and touched his dad's face. He took his fingers out and replied, "We missed you too, Daddy."

Abby nodded in agreement.

"Were you playing down here this afternoon?" He knew they had done something, but had no clue as to what.

Abby glanced at Tony in some silent twin secret language and neither spoke. Gibbs regrouped and approached from a different angle.

"What is going to be different in this house from when I left for work this morning? Has something in the living room changed?"

He looked around the room as though searching, and Abby and Tony followed his gaze. "Did something change in Daddy's room, or Tony's room, or Abby's room?"

They didn't react, so he knew they hadn't damaged those sections of the house.

"Ok, then, is there something in the kitchen that wasn't like that this morning?"

Both of them popped their fingers back in their mouths at that, so he knew he'd hit the jackpot. Sighing, he grasped both and stood up, then shifted them to either hip and made his way to the kitchen.

Even he was unprepared for the scene, and he was a NCIS special agent! The two had obviously gotten the freezer opened and had pulled out bags of vegetables, which they had managed to open. There were piles of frozen corn, beans, peas, and carrots all over the kitchen, with water pooled around them as the food had thawed.

He looked from one little face to the other, then moved to the table and put them into their booster chairs. Looking at them sternly, he asked, "Why did you take the food out of the freezer and put it all over the floor? You know this is food we need to eat to grow big and strong."

Tony answered, "Farms, Daddy, we made farms."

Abby elaborated, "See Daddy, all the farms have peas and carrots and corn and beans. So the

farmers can take them to the grocery."

"So we can buy them and eat them," Tony finished, grinning.

Gibbs took another look, then noticed they had pulled out some of Tony's toy farm equipment- a bulldozer and tractor. The bulldozer was loaded with corn.

"These are farms?" he clarified.

They nodded happily.

It took him another couple of seconds to think up a response. "Ok, I love the fact that you two made an entire food chain right here, from farm, to grocery, and to the kitchen. However, I don't recall ever giving you permission to take anything out of the freezer. In fact, you are not even allowed to take something out of the refrigerator, except if an adult is watching you. Isn't that right?"

They nodded and he continued. "So I don't want you to take real food again, because now all of this food is dirty, and has to be thrown away. It would not have been a problem if you had used pretend food. Do you understand?"

They nodded again, and he ordered, "Ok, you two need to help me clean this up so that we can start cooking supper."

They scrambled down, and while Gibbs was collecting the broom and mop, they were locating the toy broom and mop that belonged to them. Tony began sweeping eagerly, and Gibbs directed him to sweep everything into a big pile. Abby pulled on her father's leg and said, "Daddy, you need to make my mop wet." He wet the mop for her and she gleefully started mopping around the kitchen. Even with his helpers, he managed to have the food corralled and headed for the trash can within a couple of minutes.

Abby looked up at him as she tugged on his pants and started to squirm. "Daddy, I need to tee tee."

Gibbs stopped and hurried to grab her hand. "Ok, Honey, let's go. That was smart of you to tell me."

He hustled her out to the half bath near the living room, crowded now with a potty for Abby and another for Tony in the small space. They also had potties in their upstairs bathroom.

Abby stood still and looked at Gibbs and he ordered softly, "Pull down your panties, Honey, and sit down and tee tee."

She did, and he started bragging. "I can not believe that my Abigail is big enough to use

the potty like someone who goes to school!"

Tony, hearing Abby getting kudos from their dad, hurried up and moved into the space. "I have to tee tee, too, Daddy!"

Jethro looked at him skeptically, but motioned, "Go, then, Son. Hurry and get your panties down."

Abby giggled. "Boys don't wear panties, Daddy."

"You are right!" he acknowledged. "Anthony, get your underwear down so that you can go."

Tony looked at him quizzically. "I don't have to take the underwear down either."

It took Jethro a second, then he nodded. "You are correct, Son."

A couple of minutes later the restroom visit was finished and the kids had clean hands. Jethro bragged on them again. "I am so proud of my boy and my girl for using the potties, and not wetting their clothes."

The two were genuinely pleased, and he instructed, "Come on, and I'll let you play in the back yard while I fix supper." That got them going. They loved their yard, and quickly got on their jackets and headed out for fun. Jethro sighed in relief. He could monitor the backyard from the kitchen, so he could keep his eye on them. The backyard was fenced, and he had put an additional lock on the gate that Tony hadn't mastered yet, so they would be safe. He watched them a couple of minutes before grabbing the kitchen phone and calling the daycare center next door to NCIS. It was one most of the agents used, and had an excellent reputation. Jethro had held off, though, from taking the kids there. Selfishly, he had wanted them to be able to remain at home. However, the handwriting was on the wall. He was not going to be able to keep a nanny.


	3. Scene of the Crime

Scene of the Crime

After he finished the call to the daycare he went to the window and watched the twins playing. Tony had hooked their wagon to his tricycle and had filled it with all of his toy balls. He was careening around the perimeter of the yard. Abby was sitting quietly on the toy horse swing of their swingset, singing softly to herself. If he did say so themselves, they were precocious three year olds, and precious, too.

He turned his attention to supper, which by necessity, would contain no vegetables. That meant that a trip to the grocery store was a must over the weekend.

When he went to call them to come in he found Tony had used the sidebars of the swing set to boost himself, and was scooting across the top framing bar when Gibbs opened the door. His heart nearly stopped.

Gibbs made it out just in time to see Tony stabilize himself, and begin to try to stand balanced on the top. Gibbs raced out, bolted to the swings, and grabbed him on either side of his legs. He tugged, and Tony slid into his father's arms, surprised that he had been interrupted.

Heart pounding, Gibbs stood him on the ground and spoke sternly, "If you ever climb on top of that swing set again, young man, I will spank your bottom. You can fall and get badly hurt like that. Do you understand?"

Tony scowled and puffed out his lip in a pout.

Gibbs tapped him under the chin. "If you don't understand that you are not ever to climb on the top of the swingset, then you will no longer be allowed to play in the backyard."

Tony decided to cooperate then. "I understand, Daddy."

"Good," Gibbs replied, then called out, "everyone inside. Hang up you jackets and go wash your hands."

They quickly obeyed, hanging their jackets on the little coat rack that stood by the big coat rack in the foyer. As they made their way to the bathroom Gibbs reminded, "Go tee tee if you have to go again."

Supper was eaten quickly, and he sent the two to play in the living room while he cleaned the kitchen. They were colouring in their colour books when he joined them and announced bathtime.

The last couple of months he had begun to wean them away from each other. Their cribs, and later beds, had been together in the nursery, and they had always bathed, played, and eaten together. When they had their third birthdays, though, he decided it was time to change. He turned an empty bedroom into Tony's room, then redid the nursery to be Abby's. Once the rooms were set, he started training them to do things on their own, like bathe and play. So far it worked about fifty per cent of the time. The two were very close, and they wanted to be in each other's company.

"Ok," he asked brightly, "who wants to be first for a bath?"

Neither volunteered, since it wasn't a group bath, so he made the decision. "Ok, Tony will be first, then. Come on, Big Boy, and let's go get your pajamas out, and get you in the tub."

Tony looked at Abby with resignation, and Gibbs turned and addressed her. "Baby Girl, you can play down here while I get Tony in the bath, ok?"

Abby popped her fingers in her mouth and watched them leave.

Taking Tony by the hand, he led them into the boy's room, decorated now, at Tony's insistence, with themes of cars, action figures, and animals. Tony picked out his pajamas, then followed his dad to the bathroom, where Jethro quickly started the water. "How about bubbles tonight, Baby Boy?"

Tony nodded eagerly, and Gibbs sat down on the lid of the toilet's seat and said softly, "Let me see you get undressed all by yourself tonight. Can you do it?"

Tony was up for the challenge, and managed to get all of his clothes off by himself. Gibbs bragged on him, then picked him up and pretended to throw him into the water. Tony laughed, and Gibbs knelt on his knees on the floor by the tub. "Ok, let me get you clean first, then you can play."

While Jethro bathed him, Tony did his best to squirm out of his reach and grab at the bathtub toys. Thinking that his father was taking too long Tony warned, "Daddy, stop now 'cause I'm clean, and you're going to scrub all the bubbles away."

Gibbs laughed and kissed him on the nose. "Ok, Baby Boy, I get the hint." He turned loose and settled back down on the toilet seat a second to rest before heading downstairs.

A noise at the doorway made him glance up. Abby, fingers poked in her mouth and clutching one of her dolls, was standing quietly.

Gibbs looked her over. He knew what was coming. "What's the matter, Abby?"

Abby's eyes filled. "Why can't I take a bath with Tony?"

Tony took that opportunity to stand up, covered in soap bubbles, and add, "Yeah, Daddy, we used to could take a bath."

It was times like these that Gibbs found it was hardest being a parent, and especially at the difficulty of remaining firm. He pulled Abby to him and perched her on his lap. "Remember that Daddy has told you now that you two aren't babies any more. These days I have a big boy and a big girl. Sisters and brothers don't take baths together or sleep together when they get as big as you are."

Tony eyed him sadly. "Is that forever?"

"Uhm hum- now, Tony it is time for you to get out of the tub and for Abby to take her bath." He set Abby on the floor and told her to go pick out her pajamas. She left, and he got Tony out and dried him, then sent him to put on his pajamas by himself.

Abby went to battle the moment she returned ready for her bath. She had a stuffed caterpillar she announced wanted to bathe, but Gibbs told her no, that stuffed animals couldn't go into the tub. She wasn't pleased, and began to pout, then stomped her little foot and crossed her arms across her chest.

Gibbs eyed her as soon as he had the water filled in the tub. "I believe I told you to start taking off your clothes, Abby."

She refused to respond, so he leaned down and began unbuttoning her dress. That made her angry, and she plopped herself on the floor and announced, "I am not taking a bath without caterpillar!"

Her father barely paused, but again sat down on the toilet, flipped her over his lap, and gave her two smacks on her bottom. Her wails of outrage were met with, "You are taking a bath when Daddy tells you to take a bath, young lady." He further proved his point by holding her and stripping her, then carefully setting her into the tub. He left her standing while he quickly bathed her, and her response was to cry and rub her bottom. Finally satisfied that she was clean, he remarked, "Well, I was going to let you play a bit, but since you're just crying, you probably need to come out."

That got her, and the tears ceased immediately. "I want to play now."

He smiled, and stood up, stretching his aching muscles. Leaning down, he picked up Abby's discarded clothes and added them to Tony's, then started out of the room. He nearly fell over his son, who had stationed himself right in front of the bathroom door, playing with some toy cars.

Tony smiled sweetly at him.

Gibbs shook himself and went on downstairs. He needed to talk to the pediatrician again about forcing the twins to do things independently without each other. It seemed like an uphill battle, because they always managed to gravitate back to each other. They considered each other to be part of a team.

The rest of the evening passed quickly, but by eight he knew they had stayed up too late. Both were getting fussy and whiny, so he declared bedtime, and against their wishes, ushered them upstairs. They made it through brushing their teeth, and he left them to use the potties while he ran downstairs to transfer laundry from the washer to the dryer.

They were coming out of the bathroom when he returned, and with shock he saw that the entire bottom half of his daughter's nightie was wet.

"What happened?" he asked, confused.

"Abby wanted to stand up to tee tee like I do," Tony explained.

There was nothing to do but strip Abby, then pop her back into the tub for a quick bath. He used that time to again explain to the twins that boys and girls were physically different. Finally he had both of them clean and ready for the night.

Gibbs said, "Tonight it's Tony's turn for us to read in his bed, because we read in Abby's bed last night."

Since Tony was host, he got to do the honors of picking out the story they would read. He chose _The Little Engine That Could_ and as soon as Gibbs got the covers pulled down, they all crawled into Tony's bed, Daddy in the middle, and everyone propped against the headboard so that they could see the pictures. They both loved storytime, and stuffed their fingers in their mouths in anticipation. When the reading was done, Gibbs led them in their prayers, then slid off the bed. He kissed Tony good night, turned off the lamp, and carried Abby to her own bed and gave her a goodnight kiss.

It didn't take them long to fall asleep, and a half hour later when he went back upstairs to check they were sleeping soundly, Abby's fingers still in her mouth. He made his way back down and headed for the basement and some relaxing work on his boat. Within an hour he realized he was exhausted, and decided to make his way to bed. Peeping into his little girl's room, he saw no sign of her, so he automatically crossed the hall and found her snuggled in the bed with her brother. He was too tired to carry her back and settle her again, so he simply headed to his own bath and bed.

It was not yet dawn when he woke and discovered Abby, on her back, sprawled across his chest, her body pinning his upper body and right shoulder. Tony was curled up on top of him, his head burrowed so his father's stomach served as his pillow and Jethro's legs were used as the rest of his bed. His fingers dangled from his mouth. _Quietly the father wiggled_ _himself out_ _from underneath them and silently_ _crept down to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee_.


	4. A Great Father

A Great Father

Tony awoke with a start. Jack was shaking his shoulder, and speaking quietly. "Son, it's time to get up."

Trying to get his bearings, Tony sat all the way up and when his muscles complained, he looked around and realized he was in the hospital room with Gibbs. He jumped up and leveled an evaluating look at his Boss, who appeared all right but unchanged, then on the other side of the hospital bed at Abby, still sound asleep.

Throwing his arms around Jack he whispered, "I am glad to see you, and wish it could be in better circumstances."

The older man nodded and then motioned to Abby. "Let's wake up Miss Abigail and head down to the cafeteria for some breakfast. You can fill me in on the details."

Tony went to use the restroom and wash his face while Jack woke Abby. She stumbled into the bathroom as Tony was rinsing his mouth with the antiseptic bottle of mouthwash the hospital furnished. He spat it out, then turned around and handed the bottle to her before he crept back out and into the hall, where he and Jack waited until Abby joined them to go to breakfast. Tony stopped at the nursing station to leave their whereabouts.

They had almost finished breakfast and filled Jack in on the background when Ducky, Ziva, and McGee appeared and joined them. Ducky had gotten the most current medical information and assured them all that Gibbs was doing well, despite the coma.

It was decided that Tony would head home, shower, change, and then go to NCIS to work for half the day. Then he would come to the hospital and trade places with Abby, who would subsequently head home, shower, change, and drive to work. Jack would remain the entire day, but go home in the night. Ziva, McGee, and Ducky would work their usual day and then come by the hospital to visit.

Abby and Jack settled into the room, and were pretty quiet until the nurses came in for rounds and interrupted the solitude. When they departed, Jack looked at her and smiled. "You have been a wonderful daughter for my son, Abby."

Abby's eyes filled and she smiled lopsidedly and whispered, "He's been a great father, even when I thought he was being too strict and overprotective."


	5. Half Truth

Half Truths

_Jethro opened the door to Tony's room and made his way to the window, opening the blinds to let the sunshine infiltrate._ Tony was sprawled longways across his bed, face down, with covers bunched and thrown on the floor. Gibbs stood a moment looking down at him and once again marveled at how handsome his child was. He sat down on the edge of the bed and started calling the boy's name softly, taking a hand to brush back the hair from his face. It took a couple of moments before the teen groaned, stretched, and opened one eye experimentally.

"Hey, Dad-"

"Good morning, Son. You need to get up and get ready for work."

Tony nodded, then scooted so that he could put his head in his dad's lap. He closed his eyes, began to curl up, and reached back to grab some of the covers, but Jethro grabbed his hand.

"Tony, sit up now. It's time to get up and get ready," Jethro said firmly.

Tony reluctantly flipped over and sat up. "Ok, Dad, I'm there."

Jethro smiled and stood up, then walked to the door. "I am not going to wake you up again, so if you don't get up now, you'll have to deal with the consequences."

Tony nodded, and Jethro headed downstairs for coffee.

His son joined him a half hour later, dressed in shorts and a tee shirt and ready to go. He grabbed a box of cereal and the milk and plopped down at the table. Tony had gotten a summer job working for a landscaping company. He enjoyed it, and it gave the sixteen year old some spending money, which was fine with his father.

"What time is Baby Girl getting back?" Tony asked. Abby had spent the night with her good friend, Vera.

"She said she'd be home about noon. Hey, I'm going out, so if I'm not back when you get home remember that you still have chores to complete."

Tony looked up, a spoonful of cereal halted in midair, "What if I get through before you get home?"

"You don't get to leave if I'm not home."

"Ok," Tony said agreeably, "but hurry and get home, Dad, 'cause I am supposed to pick Jessica up at six."

Gibbs smiled in return. Tony was extremely popular. The females loved him because he was gorgeous, and he was popular with males because of his athletic prowess and sense of humour.

Tony left soon after, and Gibbs completed his own housework before leaving to run errands. He returned mid afternoon and found Abby was home. She kissed him hello, and announced she was finishing her own chores so that she, too, could have an evening out.

Gibbs looked her over, "Did you and Vera sleep at all last night."

Abby smiled, "Not really- we mainly just talked and caught up on life."

Gibbs headed for the basement with a cup of coffee. Before he could get all the way down the stairs, the phone rang. It was Ducky, alerting him to the fact that his daughter was prominently featured in the day's paper. Gibbs couldn't understand what the good doctor meant, but Ducky refused to elaborate on the phone and instructed him to take a look.

Gibbs had read the paper that morning, and in fact, it was in the recycling bin. He dug it out and began flipping through. There was nothing enlightening that he could see, so he pulled out the sections he hadn't read- the classifieds and the lifestyle. There, in a quarter page spread, was a picture of Abby and a group of friends lined up in front of Ram's Head in Baltimore. Gibbs felt like he had been sucker punched.

He quickly read the article. The piece was just a fluff one chronicling the rise of a new punk band which would be performing in Baltimore the next month. Tickets were scarce, and were being sold first come, first serve, so the line of fans was actually a line of squatters who had spent the night waiting for the box office to open at seven a.m so that they could purchase tickets.

Gibbs folded up the paper and made his way to the kitchen, his mind playing out the scenario. Abby had lied by saying she was spending the night with Vera. She'd gone to Baltimore without permission, and camped out for concert tickets without his consent, then come home and pretended that she had done nothing wrong.

He was furious, but decided to wait until he had calmed before confronting her.

An hour later she bopped down to the basement, where he was, to tell him she had completed her designated chores. He stopped working and leaned against a shelf to regard her.

"Tell me what you did at Vera's last night," he ordered softly.

Abby looked at little taken aback, but recovered and smiled, "Not much, Dad, just the usual stuff."

Jethro waited a couple of seconds, then repeated the order.

Abby began to realize that something wasn't quite right, and she sputtered, "Just- uhm, well, really we just did what we usually do."

Gibbs pointed down to the paper, and for the first time Abby saw her own reflection staring at her. Her stomach knotted, and a feeling of dread overwhelmed her.

Gibbs voice was firm, "Where were you given permission to go?"

Abby looked down and mumbled a reply.

"Let me ask again, and this time I had better get an answer."

"To Vera's, Dad, I had permission to go there. I did, really, and then we left."

Gibbs pinched the bridge of his nose and made the decision to not even ask for further explanation. "Sit down right there and look at me, Young Lady." Abby moved slowly, and his voice raised, "Now!"

She scrambled to obey, and looked up at him expectantly. She knew she was in big trouble, but she still hoped her dad wouldn't be too rough. She spoke up shakily, "Dad, I know you're upset, but this is really not as big a deal as you seem to think it is."

That was the straw that broke the camel's back with him. He leaned down and put one hand on either side of her chair's armrests so that he was inches from her. "Abigail, to say I am disappointed, or angry, is just not going to do justice to what I feel right now. You lied to me. You broke my trust. You went out of town without my knowledge. You stayed out all night without my realization. You were in an unsafe environment where anything could have happened to bring you harm. You managed to destroy every bit of responsibility I thought I was correct in giving you, Young Lady."

Abby's lip quivered, and her eyes filled with tears, but Jethro was not finished. "Go get me that concert ticket, and get me your phone, as well."

Abby immediately begged, "Dad, no, please-"

He stepped back and grasped her by her upper arm, pulled her up, and smacked her bottom firmly. "Right now!"

She started crying then, and answered, "They're in my room."

"Go get them," he ground out. "I have no intention of repeating the instructions."

She gave him one more look of appeal and then made her way up the basement stairs. He watched her go, grabbed his empty coffee cup, cut off the light, and headed to the kitchen.

He had started a fresh pot when he heard her come quietly back. He reached out his hand, and she handed over the items he had demanded. "You no longer have a phone, and let me assure you, you won't be at this concert," he spoke.

Abby angrily interrupted, "Dad, I paid for that ticket with my own babysitting money."

"I don't care. I do not care, Young Lady." He drew out the words, and put both items in his pocket.

"Furthermore, you are grounded for the next month. You will not leave this house for any reason. Do you understand me?"

She nodded through her tears.

"Now, Young Lady, let's deal with the fact that you lied to me."

Abby bit her bottom lip and looked at him miserably. She was pretty sure of what the response was going to be to that.

"I absolutely did not ever expect to have to spank my sixteen year old daughter, but you know what? That is exactly what is going to happen. You have just knocked yourself out to earn this one."

Abby spoke pleadingly, "Daddy, please…"

"Go to your room. I'll be up in a minute."

"Daddy, I don't want….."

"Go upstairs to your room now, Abby. I am not going to tell you again."

That time she obeyed, but not without giving him one last pleading look. He pointed up towards her bedroom in reply.

He made her wait for the spanking nearly an hour, and by the time he actually got to her room she had been able to review her actions and realize that she had made several critical mistakes. She was sobbing before he even got his belt unbuckled, and he made sure that she'd regret her trip to Baltimore every time she remembered it.

Nearly an hour later Tony bounced in the house from his own job, and raced to the shower. Coming down dressed for an evening out, he found his sister curled up on the sofa, watching a show on the science channel. When she saw him, she held out her arms, and he immediately plopped down on the cushion beside her and gathered her in an embrace. She told all that had transpired, and he winced appreciatively when he heard about the spanking. Speaking softly, when she had finished her account, he pointed out the ways she could have been in danger and why their dad was so upset.

Jethro, hearing their voices from the kitchen, propped himself against the doorway and watched the exchange. It always amazed him how loving they could be to each other, and also how protective. Equally astounding was the fact that they did everything they could to get each other in trouble, yet when he actually did punish one of them, the other twin would rush to comfort.

_They often accused him of being strict, or overprotective, but he knew that he had to parent them the way that his gut and conscience told him to parent._


	6. No Tolerance for Risks

No Tolerance for Risks

Ducky joined Jack and Abby for lunch, then stayed and spoke to Jethro's attending physician. Tony returned as the doctor was leaving the room, and Ducky explained that there was no change with Gibbs.

"Remember, though, that he is not getting worse. This time that he is comatose is giving his body time to heal."

Jack rubbed his forehead, and Tony turned and regarded him for several seconds, then spoke, "Ok, I have everything under control at the Agency. Jack, you and Abby go home and I'll take over here. Both of you need a break, and both of you need to rest."

Abby immediately protested, "Tony, I'm good. I want to stay with him."

Jack chimed in, "The same for me, Son- I will stay as well."

Tony's jaw clenched. He reached over and tapped Abby under the chin. "Abbs, this is not your decision- it's mine. I am the team leader right now, and you know that you must follow my orders."

Abby sputtered, "Tony, you're pulling rank on me?"

"You had better believe it. Take Jack and go to the house." Tony's voice was firm, but he smiled, then leaned down and kissed her cheek. "You know that Boss expects me to always protect you, Baby Girl."

Abby threw her arms around him and leaned her head on his shoulder. He looked over at Jack and raised an eyebrow. "That order goes to you, too, Jack."

"I appreciate that, but I want to be here," Jack responded quietly.

"No," Tony answered, his decision strong, "one thing I can guarantee is that Boss will tear me out of the frame if he even thinks I ever took your well being and personal safety for granted. Let me shoulder the load for this, please, Jack. He will need you rested and in good shape when he comes out of the coma."

Jack's eyes suddenly filled, and he quickly rubbed his hand across them. "My Leroy loves you two as much as you love him. Thank you for looking out for my boy."

Tony smiled, kissed the top of Abby's head, and directed, "Ok, you two get out of here."

That time they left, and Tony stood a minute just gazing down at his mentor, then leaned down and stroked his hand. This was the man who had spent the last several years training, protecting, disciplining, and parenting him, and he loved him. Finally he spoke, whispering in an attempt to keep his emotions under control. "Boss, I'm doing what you taught me to do. I've got your six here. I know they wanted to stay but you don't see them, and I do. They are just wiped out physically- exhausted. I know you would bust my butt if you thought I had put any of us in danger."


	7. The Law

The Law

_The twins were thirteen, and Gibbs couldn't believe how quickly time had passed_. It seemed just yesterday that he had rocked them to sleep.

It was a gorgeous summer Saturday, and he was finishing errands. Abby was spending the day with her best friend, Vera, and Tony was at the park with his buddies. Gibbs loaded the bags of groceries in the bed of the truck and cranked up the air conditioning as soon as he got the key in the ignition. His phone rang and he pulled it out, glancing at the i.d. screen. It was from the downtown police precinct, and the officer on the other end requested his presence at the station to pick up his son.

Gibbs got there as quickly as possible, and once in the building, was directed to Officer Glidman, whom Gibbs had known for many years. Glidman was in his office and smiled when he saw Jethro. They exchanged greetings and Glidman told him to sit, that Tony was safe, but down the hall. He proceeded to share that Tony, along with four of his friends, had been biking down Interstate 395. Luckily, dozens of motorists on the freeway had called into 911, and the group of teen cyclists had been quickly surrounded and taken to the station. By the grace of God no one had been hurt or killed.

It took Jethro a couple of minutes before he could absorb what he'd been told. The horror of imagining the picture of his baby on a bicycle in the middle of a freeway nearly made his heart stop. He shook his head to clear it.

Glidman told him he'd called the parents of all the boys, and that the police had already lectured the young teens. Jethro was free to collect Tony and the bike.

The officer led him down the hall to a holding room, where he saw the group of boys sitting together, tear stained and terrified. Tony was sitting all the way back in his seat with his legs dangling- he wasn't tall enough to put his feet flat on the floor. When he looked up and saw his father he bolted from his seat and threw himself in Jethro's arms. Jethro clasped him against him, keeping him in his embrace as Tony sobbed against him. Finally the tears slowed, and Jethro was able to push him back again and tap him under the chin. "Let's go, Anthony."

The policeman watching over the boys radioed for another officer to take Tony's bike to the parking lot, and Gibbs and Tony walked out and loaded it in the bed of the truck.

Gibbs was pulling out of the parking lot when Tony spoke softly, "Dad, I am sorry. I don't know why we did that. It was a really stupid idea, and I knew it was as soon as all those cars started swerving around us. I promise I won't ever do that again."

Jethro didn't respond, and Tony got quiet. A few minutes later he pulled the truck in front of a Salvation Army store.

Tony looked up, wide eyed, "Dad, what are we doing here?"

Gibbs stopped the car and unbuckled his belt. "You are donating your bike to the Salvation Army. That is what we are doing here, Son."

Tony quickly unbuckled his own belt and scrambled out of the truck. "Dad, please don't do that. Dad, I love riding my bike, and I don't want you to give it away. Daddy, I promise I won't ever do that again!"

Gibbs pulled the bike out and addressed his son, "I am not going to donate it, Tony, you are. Walk your bike inside."

Tony stopped by the side of the truck and turned a miserable face to his father. Gibbs repeated sternly, "Now- I am not going to tell you again."

They made it inside and Tony couldn't stop the tears when he gave up his most prized possession. He'd gotten that bike for Christmas, and had only had it six months. He and his friends lived on their bikes in the summer, and he couldn't imagine life without it. When they returned to the truck and Jethro had them on the way home, he turned to his son, "It will be a long time before I allow you to have a bike again."

Tony absorbed that, and leaned his head against the car window for the rest of the ride.

When they got to the house, Tony helped unload the groceries and poured himself a glass of juice. When he finished drinking his father ordered, "Go upstairs to your room. I'll be there in a little while."

Tony's heart sank, but he obeyed. He knew what that meant- he was going to get spanked.

An hour later, when Jethro entered the bedroom, Tony was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling, His father sat down on the edge of the bed and regarded him. "Son, make sure that you understand that I have no tolerance, and will never have tolerance, for any action where you have put yourself in danger, or in jeopardy. I don't care if you are thirteen or twenty three- if you put your life at risk I am going to make sure you regret your actions. Am I clear?"

Tony nodded, and Jethro continued, "The fact that you were anywhere near an interstate terrifies me. The intel that you were actually on one is just horrifying. You are aware of the rules about where you are and are not allowed to go, and you made the decision today to completely disregard and disobey the boundaries you have been given. I told you earlier that it will be a long time before your rear sits on a bike seat again. Furthermore, you will not be leaving this house or yard for the next two weeks. Yes, I am aware that it is summer vacation. You still are staying home. I love you a great deal, Son, and I don't ever want to hear that you have endangered yourself like that again."

Tony nodded, and Jethro softened his expression some. "Make sure that from now on, any time that it occurs to you to do something so foolish, you remember that you got your butt torn up over taking a risk like that."

An hour later Jethro heard Abby bounce through the front door. She ran into the kitchen and announced that she was home, then asked where Tony was.

"Upstairs, in his room-" her father answered, in the middle of supper preparations.

"He's in his room, on a Saturday?" Abby was clearly shocked.

"That's right- he got a spanking this afternoon, and he's in his room until supper."

Abby digested the information and regarded her father. It was not often that Jethro spanked, so whatever her brother had done must have been bad. "When can he come down?"

Jethro sighed, "Supper, Honey, he can come down at supper."

After that, Abby asked every five minutes it if were time for Tony to come down. Exasperated, Jethro gave up and granted her permission to go upstairs and tell Tony to come down to dinner. She raced upstairs.

Ten minutes later neither child was down for supper, so he made his way upstairs. He heard their voices coming from Tony's room. Abby was obviously trying to cheer her brother, telling him that he might get a replacement bike at the next Christmas, and Tony was assuring her over how much the spanking had hurt. Jethro rapped on the doorframe. They were both on Tony's bed, but he was lying on his tummy while she was lying on her back.

They looked up at their dad and he smiled. "Get downstairs." They slid off the bed and he added, "I love both of you, you know that, right?"

_Tony grinned up at him, "We know, Dad, you love us even when we scare you by doing something dangerous."_


	8. Expectations to Obey

Expectations to Obey

Ducky returned to the hospital at four, and consulted with the doctor in charge over Jethro's condition. He came into the room and spoke firmly to Tony. "Jethro is the same, Anthony. I want you to go home now, get something to eat, and get some rest. I'll stay here with Jethro."

Tony shook his head. "No, no, I'm staying."

Ducky took his glasses off and wiped them on his shirt sleeve. "I am pulling rank, then, Anthony."

"What does that mean?" Tony stood up and stretched and yawned, then smiled down at Ducky.

"It means that Jethro expects me to keep an eye on you and Abigail when he is not available."

Tony laughed, "We haven't done anything bad, so you don't need to tattle. We've stayed close to the hospital."

Ducky leaned down and checked Jethro's pupils, speaking as he did so. "Jethro is my friend, and he considers you and Abby to be his. He is not available now, but I am, and I have seen many more nights that you and Abby. I am older and wiser. So I am telling you that I want you to do as I told you. Otherwise, Jethro is not going to be pleased when he hears that you reacted so stubbornly. In fact, I'd venture to say he would be annoyed with you."

Tony stood a moment, clearly undecided. Finally he spoke quietly. "Ok, but I am only leaving for supper and a nap, then I'll be back."

"That's all I ask, Anthony," Ducky agreed. "Let me honor my friend by taking over where he would expect me to take over."

Tony started out the door, then turned around and grinned, "I'm only going with your sacred word that a)-, you will not tell Boss I was any trouble, and b)-, you don't start bossing me around after this."

Ducky's eyes twinkled. "I wouldn't dream of it, dear boy."


	9. No Compromise

No Compromise

_Abby and Tony were fifth graders, and Jethro had enrolled them in a summer day camp._ He had first investigated the ones he thought would be most appropriate, then had narrowed the choices down to two. He gave them the final say, and was very relieved once they had visited the camp's director and he had paid for their summer tuition.

Abby was looking forward to the Wednesday and Thursday science afternoons scheduled, while Tony was excited about the Monday movies and Friday field days. They did put up their usual protests, though, insisting that they were old enough to stay home alone, and that they did not need babysitters. He quickly negated any mention of not being watched or supervised, knowing full well that if left to their own devices unsupervised, some form of destruction would occur.

The first day of camp went well, and they both interrupted each other over and over as they described the routine to their father. The second day was good, too, and because of their gregarious natures, they were already extremely popular with the other kids. The third day, however, was tricky. They had evidently taken a dislike to a Ms. Martin over her insistence that she didn't need their help to explain the rules of the game they were about to play. She had also gotten on to their bad sides by assigning Abby to time out for going into her bookbag without permission, and putting Tony in time out for throwing the soccer ball across the room to the coach as they were lining up to walk out of the building.

Jethro listened to the complaints, then explained Ms. Martin's perspective of the events. They didn't want to be mollified, and scowled at his clarification.

Their father changed course finally. "Here's the deal, though. I expect you both to obey the adults there, and Ms. Martin is one of those adults. You do what you are told to do, and not what you decide to do. If I am contacted about your behavior- either of you, you are going to be in big trouble with me. Am I clear?"

Tony and Abby exchanged mutinous glances, then Abby spoke, "I don't like her, Dad."

Tony chimed in, "She's mean."

Jethro's voice rose. "I don't care. You are not going to be disrespectful or disobedient. Now, once again, am I crystal clear? I want verbal answers."

"Yes sir, Daddy," Tony supplied.

"I understand, Daddy," Abby assured him.

The next day was relatively quiet, but on Friday when Jethro went to pick his progeny up from the camp, they were not waiting on him. He didn't see them with any of the groups of children either, so he parked and made his way towards the main building.

One of Tony's friends recognized him and directed helpfully, "They're inside, Agent Gibbs, 'cause they got into trouble."

Gibbs sighed to himself. He had expected this. Once his children made up their minds to wreak havoc, that is exactly what they did. Worse, though one of them could definitely be a handful, having them aligned in a mission meant double conflict.

Ms. Martin was seated at a table in the middle of the room, and Jethro was surprised when he saw her. From the description given by his kids he'd expected an ogre. The opposite was true, though. She was in her late thirties, and very attractive.

He glanced around and located Abby sitting by herself at one table, and Tony alone at another. Both glanced at him sheepishly, then looked back down. Ms. Martin greeted him, and motioned for him to sit down.

"I am sorry for holding you up, Agent Gibbs."

"That's not a problem," he smiled, "I don't have anything pressing this afternoon."

"Tony and Abby have not had a good week conduct-wise, and today their behaviour was absolutely unacceptable."

Jethro turned to level a stare at both children, then ordered, "Both of you come here right now."

They did, quickly sitting on either end of the table where he sat across from Ms. Martin.

Ms. Martin continued, "The thing is that I know these two have good manners, because I have seen that. They are also intelligent, and wonderful leaders. However, they have made it a mission to do everything they can to usurp my authority, and have been extremely disrespectful and rude. For the next week I will not allow them to participate in the morning group free play because of their actions. Instead, they will spend those half hours sitting in time out. I wanted to make you aware of the consequences, and also assure you that my normal punishment is one day of no free play. The fact that I gave them five should clue you to how disruptive they have been."

Jethro turned to Tony. "Is there anything you want to add?"

Tony met his gaze, "No sir, there isn't."

He looked at Abby, who spoke quickly, "No, Daddy, I don't have anything to say either."

Ms. Martin addressed both children. "I like both of you, and I think that you are bright, personable, and natural leaders. You, however, are not running this day camp. Back talking, arguing, and refusing to obey me are not going to make me leave. I am here for the summer. However, if I see a repeat of any of those behaviors, you won't be here for the remainder of the summer."

Both shifted uncomfortably in their seats, and glanced guiltily at each other.

"Agent Gibbs, this is your notice that they will be asked to leave if their conduct continues the way it has."

Jethro clenched his jaw and stood. "Don't worry about it, Ms. Martin. You will see two different children Monday morning. I do not condone their behavior, and I guarantee you that you will not witness that conduct again."

He motioned Tony and Abby to get up, as well.

Abby quickly spoke, "Ms. Martin, we are sorry…."

Tony interrupted, "Yes ma'am, we really didn't mean to go that far or to hurt your feelings."

She smiled, "Thank you."

Jethro pointed to the door and the two quickly grabbed their belongings and headed to the car.

As soon as they got home he didn't wait to spank them, but pointed them to the living room, where he put first one, then the other, across his knee.

When the resultant sobs finally slowed, he reminded them, "This had better be the last time one of your teachers defines either of you as disrespectful or disobedient. _Furthermore, when I tell you to obey the adult or adults with whom I have left you, then that is exactly what I mean." _


	10. Family Bond

Family Bond

At eight o'clock Abby, Tony, and Jack crept quietly back into the hospital room. Ducky smiled when he saw them, but waited for them to get settled before he spoke.

"Somebody here wants to say something to you."

All three rushed to the bed, and Jethro slowly opened his eyes and grinned, "Hey there-"

The reactions were instantaneous, joyful, and wonderful, and finally Ducky ordered, "That's it, now- all of you sit down. Jethro has been through a serious medical trial, and he doesn't need to be overwhelmed."

The visitors quickly obeyed, and took seats and positioned them so that they could keep Jethro in their view.

Gibbs grinned, and turned to his dad, "Hey, Dad, thank you for coming." Jack nodded but didn't speak, afraid he would break down emotionally.

He looked at Abby, then at Tony. Seeing the uncertain, frightened looks on both faces, he reassured, "The doctor and Ducky have given me a good check. I'm fine. They even say that there shouldn't be any leftover problems."

Ducky spoke up then. "That is true, but you are going to have to spend the next few days recovering and gaining strength, and absolutely not working."

Tony and Abby nodded their agreement, but still looked unsure at their mentor's recovery.

Understanding their fragility, Jethro repeated, "I'm all right now, just tired. Come here to me, you two."

They obeyed immediately, placing themselves one on one side of him and one on the other. Jethro licked his lips and spoke softly. "I was actually dreaming some really vivid dreams during the coma, but I guess I must have known you were nearby."

"Why's that, Boss?" Tony questioned.

"I dreamed that I was a father, your father and Abby's father. You were twins."

Jack and Ducky both laughed out loud.

"Twins, wow, that would be neat to be a twin, especially with Tony. Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs, what were the dreams, though?" Abby leaned down excitedly for more detail.

"Maybe one day I'll tell you, but let me just say this. You act the same way now that you did when you were toddlers."

The two exchanged guilty glances.

Jethro elaborated and propped himself up on his elbows. "Also, I really don't care if you think I am overprotective, or too strict with you. If I ever find out you have done something stupid or not well thought out and have put someone else or yourselves at risk, you will regret it. Do you understand?"

They nodded quickly, not sure what they had done to elicit such a threat of future dire consequences.

He continued, his voice growing stronger. "Last of all, when I tell you to follow someone's orders, I expect that to happen. Do the two of you understand me? Am I perfectly clear?"

Glancing at him, then at each other, they answered emphatically together, "Yes sir!"

He motioned them closer to him. Abby bent down and he put his hand on the back of her head and then kissed her on the cheek. "I'm o.k., Baby Girl." She nodded and smiled, wiping at tears.

He turned to Tony, who leaned down and whispered quietly against his cheek, "It's all under control, Boss, I closed the investigation."

Jetho reached over and brushed back Tony's bangs, then pulled him down and kissed him on the cheek, as he had done with Abby. "I knew you'd take care of it, Son."

Finally, all was well and back to normal in the Universe of Gibbs.


End file.
